И проиграли бой

           ’Courseyougetyournewsfromthepapers,an’thepapersisownedbytheguyswithlandandmoney,sowe’resons-of-bitches,see?Thenyoucomeacrostus,an’weain’t.Yougottomakeupyourownmindwhichitis."

           "Well,couldaguylikeIworkinwithyouguys?Ibeendoin’kindo’likethat,lookin’outfortheguysthattravelwithme."

           "Damnright,"saidMaceagerly."You’redamnright.Yougotleadership,London.You’reaworkin’stiff,butyou’realeader,too."

           Londonsaidsimply,"GuysalwaysdonewhatItold’em.Allmylifetheydoneit."

           Macloweredhisvoice.HemovedcloseandputhishandonLondon’sknee."Listen,"hesaid."Iguesswe’regoin’tolosethisstrike.Butweraisedenoughhellsomaybetherewon’tbeastrikeinthecotton.Nowthepaperssaywe’rejustcausingtrouble.Butwe’regettingthestiffsusedtoworkingtogether;gettingbiggerandbiggerbunchesworkingtogetherallthetime,see?Itdoesn’tmakeanydifferenceifwelose.Here’snearlyathousandmenwho’velearnedhowtostrike.Whenwegetawholesloughofmenworkingtogether,maybe—maybeTorgasValley,mostofit,won’tbeownedbythreemen.Maybeaguycangetanappleforhimselfwithoutgoingtojailforit,see?Maybetheywon’tdumpapplesintherivertokeepuptheprice.WhenguyslikeyouandmeneedaappletokeepourGoddamnbowelsopen,see?You’vegottolookatthewholething,London,notjustthislittlestrike."

           LondonwasstaringpainfullyatMac’smouth,asthoughhetriedtoseethewordsastheycameout."That’skindofreva—revolution,ain’tit?"